Perth to Esperance Road Trip – How to Travel Perth to Esperance in 10 Days!

Planning a Perth to Esperance road trip, but don’t know where to start? You’ve come to the right place!

I recently spent a month exploring Western Australia, from Perth to Esperance, up to Exmouth and even on to the remote Karijini National Park, and I have compiled all of my top travel tips in this article.

In this article I have included everything you need to know to plan the ultimate Perth to Esperance itinerary. Including all the best places to stop at, where to sleep, how to choose the right vehicle for you and more.

Esperance is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Australia, but there’s more to this itinerary than just beaches. You’ll also find incredible nature views, fun hikes and picturesque towns.

So what are you waiting for? Read on, and start planning your dream Western Australia road trip!

Perth to Esperance road trip logistics

Before we dive into my Perth to Esperance day by day itinerary, I wanted to go over some useful logistics tips that will make your trip planning much easier.

Car or Camper Van?

When I first started planning this Western Australia road trip I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do it van life style or just by renting a car and staying at hostels, bnbs and hotels.

As soon as I started researching it I noticed that the price for a campervan hire is pretty similar to that of renting a car and staying in hotels, so for us budget wasn’t really the main deciding factor when choosing between van life or hotels, it was more about travel style.

We decided to hire a campervan in Perth, and travel to Esperance and back by van. Van travel and van life is huge in Australia, so especially if you’ve never tried it before, it’s a great country to try it for the first time.

We found that pretty much every main city or town on our itinerary had multiple campsites in or around it, as well as quite a few along the road between towns.

There are also quite a few free options, but in those cases you would often have to have a self contained van with your own toilet and shower.

One thing I thought was great is that in many national parks, like Cape le Grand National Park in Esperance, there were no hotels or proper accommodation options, only campsites.

So hiring an Australian campervan is the only way to stay inside these beautiful National Parks and properly enjoy them, whilst if you were to opt for the car and hotel option you’d have to drive an hour there and back each day from Esperance.

Basically don’t just opt for van travel because you think it will be cheaper, because once you add up the van hire, insurance and campsites, it will work out similar to the hotel option.

Opt for van travel if you want to experience van life, and trust that Australia is a great place to do so.

How many days do you need for a Perth to Esperance road trip?

We did this road trip in ten days, and I personally think it’s the bare minimum to properly enjoy it. I’ve seen itineraries online where they do Perth to Esperance in one week, but honestly I don’t know how they do it.

Remember that you’ll be driving almost 2,500km on this trip.

Even in ten days that meant a lot of driving every day, but if you were to do it in less than that you’d just find yourself driving for hours every day, and never properly enjoying the places you visit.

I made that mistake the first I planned an Australia road trip and went from Cairns to Brisbane and back in 2 weeks, and I wasn’t going to make the same mistake again.

If anything I’d actually recommend taking at least 2 weeks for this road trip, as it will allow you to properly explore the beautiful sights and beaches of Western Australia, without stressing about having to drive for too many hours each day.

Bear in mind that this itinerary doesn’t take into account any time in Perth.

Besides the 10 days (or 2 weeks) you spend doing this road trip, I suggest spending at least 3 days in Perth, to see the main areas like Fremantle and the CBD, and to do a day trip to Rottnest Island.

Deciding your Perth to Esperance itinerary

The fastest way to get to Esperance from Perth is to drive the 700km inland route, which will take around 7 hours. It’s not a scenic route, there’s only one stop you can do along the way in Hyden, to see Wave Rock.

If your goal is just to get to Esperance to explore its beaches, then this is the quickest way.

However, if you’re not in a rush, you should head along the coastal route (it’s not the Great Ocean Road, but it’s still very beautiful), and stop at some beautiful towns along the way, like Margaret River and Albany.

This will obviously take longer, especially if you stop for a while in each town along the way, but it’s much more enjoyable and will allow you to see more of Western Australia. 

Unless you’re set on visiting just Esperance and aren’t fussed about doing other stops, in which case you can just drive inland there and back, I suggest doing inland one way and the other way along the coast.

Whether you choose to do the coastal route or the inland route first is up to you.

Many people decide to do the inland route on the way there to get the long drive out of the way, and then slowly make their way back driving along the coast.

We chose to do the opposite, doing first the coastal route, so that we could ease into driving on the left side of the road and get used to driving a big campervan, which we’d never done before.

Either way you’ll have to sacrifice a day to the inland drive, it’s up to you whether you do it first or at the end.

About Western Australia

Western Australia is the biggest state in Australia. And yet, I found it to be the most remote and less touristy, despite having incredible beaches and insane natural landscapes.

Places on the East Coast like the Whitsundays, Sydney (especially Bondi Beach) and Queensland (like Noosa Heads) get all the hype when it comes to beaches, but honestly I found the beaches in Western Australia much prettier.

I truly believe Western Australia should feature on everyone’s Australia bucket list. It might not have a rainforest like Cairns, but being so big, it’s still incredibly varied.

The Perth to Esperance itinerary of this article is just the tip of the iceberg.

In Western Australia you can also explore the outback, like the beautiful Karijini National Park, which might not be as iconic as Uluru, but is still pretty incredible with its gorges.

And in Exmouth you can snorkel with megafauna like whale sharks and manta rays, and see the beautiful corals of the Ningaloo, which I thought was much prettier than the Great Barrier Reef.

Basically Western Australia is a massive state, with so much variety and so many amazing things to do. It might not be as famous as other parts of Australia, but still deserves a visit.

Driving in Australia

One of the main things to bear in mind when driving in Australia is that you will drive on the left side of the road. If you’ve driven in the UK or have rented a campervan in Japan before it might come easy to you.

But, if like us, you’ve only ever driven in Europe or the US on the right side of the road, it will take some adjusting.

Even if you’ve rented a campervan in the US and are used to driving a big vehicle, driving on the left for the first time is always a bit weird.

We planned our itinerary so that we didn’t have to do any really long drives on the first days, so that we could get used to it.

Another thing I found different about driving in Australia, compared to Europe, was the massive stretches of long straight roads. I’m not a confident driver, but it was honestly so easy to drive in Western Australia.

You’re just driving completely straight with no interruptions for ages at times! No street lights, traffic, pedestrians, stop signs, or other roads joining the main road.

The monotonous drives though mean that it’s easy to get sleepy, so make sure to take breaks and swap drivers (if you can) along the journey. You’ll find plenty of rest stops along all main Australian roads.

Also, there are no tolls in Western Australia, which means you can drive without worrying about hidden extra fees!

Make sure also to check with your van or car rental what they need in terms of paperwork, as some may require an international driving license (not just your usual European one) or a minimum age to rent a car.

Best time of the year to explore Western Australia

We did this Perth to Esperance road trip in March and it was pretty perfect weather.

We had slightly cloudy days on a couple of occasions, but generally speaking we had the right balance between sunny days and bearable temperatures.

March to May (in Australian autumn) and September to November (Australian spring) are considered the best times to visit, since there’s less rain, the temperatures are warm but not too hot, and it’s not too busy with school holidays.

You can expect great weather also from December to February, during Australian summer, with even warmer and sunnier conditions than spring and autumn, but it will just be a lot busier due to school holidays, and some things like accommodation will be more expensive.

June to August isn’t considered an ideal time to visit this part of Australia, since it tends to be colder and rainier.

Australian winter isn’t as bad as what we’re used to in Europe, but since this trip is primarily a beach one, you want to get the best weather you can.

Perth to Esperance 10-day itinerary

Let’s dive into my 10-day Western Australia itinerary! This isn’t the exact day-by-day itinerary we did, I made a few small tweaks based on our personal experience and changes I wish I’d known about before.

If you want to see my exact Perth to Esperance itinerary, check out the YouTube video below!

Day 1: Perth to Yallingup

We picked up our Travellers Autobarn Kuga camper van (they also hire campervans in New Zealand!) from Perth first thing in the morning.

Bear in mind this will take at least half an hour, as they will show you all the details of how the van works. After that, you’re ready to hit the road and head to your first stop of the day: Busselton!

Visit Busselton

It’s almost a 250km drive from Perth to Busselton, so it will take about 2.5 hours.

Busselton is a good first place to stop on your road trip, as it will break up your drive and it’s a nice place to have lunch and walk along the sea for a bit.

Busselton is famous for its jetty, which is almost 2km long and is the longest wooden jetty in the Southern Hemisphere.

Access to the jetty costs 4 AUD to walk along it, or you can pay an extra to take the little train to the end of the jetty.

At the end of the jetty there’s an underwater observatory which I thought was a pretty cool concept, like a reverse aquarium! You’re the one in the glass tank and you look out to the fish in their natural habitat.

See the sunset at Canal Rocks

After Busselton you can head over to Canal Rocks, which is just 40km away and shouldn’t take you longer than 45 minutes.

Canal Rocks is a cool spot, where rock formations have created smaller lagoons and canals for the waves to break into.

There is a wooden walk board that connects some of the rocks, as well as hiking trails all along the coast.

Here you can watch the sunset as you take in the power of the sea and waves. It’s a great spot to end your first day and just ease yourself into this Western Australia road trip.

Where to sleep in Yallingup

At the start of our road trip we didn’t have any campsites booked. We wanted to “Yolo” it and decide where to sleep each day based on where we were at sunset.

However when we realised there was no availability anywhere near us, and we ended up having to drive back 20 minutes to Marybrook, we decided to book ahead for the rest of our trip. 

So learn from our mistakes, and book your campsite in advance, especially those in National Parks or in towns where there aren’t as many campsites, so you don’t have to drive back and forth too much.

If it hadn’t been fully booked, we would have wanted to stay at Tasman Holiday Parks, as it’s just by Yallingup Beach. They also have villas if you decide to do this trip with a car instead of van.

Click here to book your stay at Tasman Holiday Parks in Yallingup!

Day 2: Margaret River

Margaret River is one of Australia’s wine regions, but before you head off on a wine tasting experience, you should explore some of the unique beaches in the area.

Snorkel at the Aquarium in Yallingup

Starting with the Aquarium in Yallingup, a natural pool and cool snorkelling spot. It’s a small area by the beach, where the water is really calm thanks to the rocks front and all around it.

Thanks to the calmer water the visibility is really good and the marine life is very abundant. But make sure to visit at low tide.

We visited at high tide and the waves were breaking into the “aquarium”, creating a strong current and lowering the visibility, so we couldn’t really see much.

It’s still a lovely spot to chill and swim, and the walk there is very scenic, but when the tide is high it just loses a bit of its snorkelling charm.

Go for a wine tasting

Once you’ve had your fill of beach and snorkelling, it’s time to try some Australia wine!

There are loads of wineries in the area and you can see the vineyards on every side as you drive, which makes for some very scenic driving.

We picked Hay Shed Hill Winery, which has lovely outdoors seating and a view over its vineyards.

It’s also very affordable, offering cellar door wine tasting at 15 AUD per person for 6 to 8 wines, although our tasting ended up including 10 wines.

After the tasting you can then purchase any bottle of wine for a discount. I’m not a wine drinker, but my friends really enjoyed it and said all the wines were delicious.

Where to stay in Margaret River

Margaret River is a really cute town with some excellent restaurants, so if you fancy eating out, it’s a good place to stay. We stayed at the Riverview Tourist Park and it was a lovely campsite with very clean facilities.

However, if I were to do this trip again I would prefer to stay at Hamelin Bay Holiday Park.

Firstly to cut a bit of driving time from the next day, but also because that way you can wake up close to Hamelin Bay Beach, and see the stingrays there at sunrise.

Both options have both campsites and bungalows, so that you can stay there both with a van or with a car.

Click here to book your stay at Riverview Tourist Park in Margaret River!

Day 3: Denmark

Sunrise at Hamelin Bay Beach

If you sleep at Hamelin Bay Holiday Park it will be pretty easy to get up for sunrise, alternatively if you sleep in Margaret River it’s only a 30-minute drive so it’s still quite doable.

The reason I suggest visiting Hamelin Bay Beach for sunrise is because supposedly this is the time that it’s most likely to see stingrays on the beach. They come right up to the shore!

We visited at sunset and couldn’t see any stingrays, that’s why I suggest you visit earlier in the day. You can watch the sunrise, see the stingrays and spend a chill morning enjoying this beautiful beach.

Marvel at the Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree

Once you’re done soaking in the beauties of Hamelin Bay Beach jump into your van and head to the Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree, 120km and around a 1.5 hour drive away.

The Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree is located inside Warren National Park, and is a massive tree famous for the metal spikes that can be used to climb up the tree to reach a platform 20 metres above the ground (there’s a higher platform at 60 metres but it’s closed for safety reasons).

It was pegged in 1988 as part of Australia’s bicentennial celebrations. It was built for visitors to climb and enjoy the view, but it has also been used as a fire lookout.

Personally I found it a bit crazy as it doesn’t feel particularly safe (and there are signs everywhere telling you to be careful), but my friends climbed to the 20m platform and enjoyed the view.

Even if you don’t climb it’s still a cool spot to check out and enjoy the view of the surrounding trees.

It’s also a minor detour so it’s pretty easy to do, just bear in mind that the road leading up to it is unsealed, so it can take a bit longer to drive on if you don’t have a 4×4.

Valley of the Giants Treetop Walk

From the Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree jump in your car and drive 150km (around 2 hours) to the Valley of the Giants Treetop Walk, where you can do a safer version of the Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree climb!

The canopy walk is positioned 40m above the ground and does a 600m loop. You start off at ground level and slowly make your way up to the tree tops, where you can enjoy the view over this unique red tingle forest.

Given that for most of the drive in Western Australia we just saw lots of barren land, I was surprised to find such a big forest with such massive trees!

And admiring them from the treetops really has a way of making you appreciate their size. The entrance ticket to the treetop walk is 21 AUD per person, but there’s also another walk here that’s free.

It’s called the Ancient Empire walk and it’s a 500m loop at ground level, where you can admire the red tingle forest from a different perspective.

There are quite a few trees with hollowed out trunks that you can step inside or walk through, and it’s crazy how small it will make you feel.

The treetop walk is more impressive, but since this walk is free you might as well do it while you’re here.

Once you’re done admiring the beautiful red tingle forest, jump back in your van and drive the remaining 55km to Denmark, where you can enjoy a nice dinner out in the cute town centre.

Where to stay in Denmark 

In Denmark we stayed at the Denmark Rivermouth Caravan Park, and while it was nice enough, with wi-fi and clean facilities, there are probably cooler places to stay in Denmark.

Click here to find the best place to stay in Denmark for your trip!

Day 4: Denmark

Swim at Elephant Rocks

Prepare yourself, because day four in Western Australia will start with one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen.

Elephant Rocks is only a 20 minute drive from Denmark, so you can have a chill morning and head there whenever works best for you.

There is no infrastructure on or near the beach, just a food truck in the parking area, so make sure to bring with you everything you might need for the day.

Once you park you have to walk a little amongst the shrubs and rocks, and you’ll then be greeted by this insane beach.

It gets it’s name from these massive boulders both on the sand and in the water right in front of the beach, with create a sheltered cove from the strong winds and waves that batter this coast.

The water by the beach is super calm, and had a beautiful turquoise colour.

It’s a great beach to just sit on the sand, tan, relax and swim. The sheltered conditions make it ideal for swimming in the calm water, if you’re lucky you might even spot a stingray!

Relax at Green Pool Beach

Green Pool Beach is right next to Elephant Rocks. You access it from the same car park, you just have to turn right instead of left when you start walking down to the sea. So you can easily visit both on the same day.

Compared to Elephant Rocks it’s a much bigger beach, with a massive stretch of sand that goes on for miles, but the area closest to the path and rocks is the most popular, since it’s a bit more sheltered.

As the name suggests, this is another beautiful beach with clear blue water and a pool-like effect. We stayed here until sunset and it was a magical spot to watch the sun dip into the ocean.

After that we drove on to Albany, which is only 70km away.

Where to stay in Albany

When we started searching for campsites in Albany we found that it was the town with the most holiday parks, so finding somewhere to stay here won’t be an issue.

We stayed by Emu Beach, since they say it’s one of the best beaches in Albany. Unfortunately it was cloudy when we were there so we didn’t really get to enjoy it, but the area as a whole is lovely.

We stayed at the Big4 Emu Beach Holiday Park and it was a great choice. It’s close to the beach, with a big kids play area, a big kitchen and communal area, and very clean facilities.

Click here to book your stay at Big4 Emu Beach Holiday Park in Albany!

Day 5: Albany

Do the Bald Head Hiking Trail

Start your day bright and early with a beautiful hike!

We actually went to the beach first and then attempted the hike at sunset, but it was too late to do it all before the sun went down, so we could only hike to the first viewpoint.

And honestly I wish we’d done it earlier in the day because the bit we saw of the hike seemed unreal.

So learn from our mistakes, and get the hike out of the way first thing in the morning, and then you can head to the beach to relax.

The Bald Head Walking Trail is a 12.5km return hike, where you walk out along the ridge of the Flinders Peninsula in Tondirrup National Park.

You hike along a mixture of wooden boardwalks and rocky paths, with epic views of the sea on both sides. It takes between 6 to 8 hours, so make sure to set off early in the day and to bring plenty of water with you.

Relax at Misery Beach

After your hike head to Misery Beach, a stunning beach that was nominated “The Most Underrated Beach in Australia”. You can walk there from the same car park where you started the Bald Head Hiking Trail, so that’s pretty easy.

Just bear in mind there are no services or infrastructure whatsoever, so you’ll have to have plenty of water and food for both the hike and beach.

I know I’ve said this already of Elephant Rocks, but Misery Beach is also one of the most stunning beaches I’ve ever seen.

The water is just so insanely turquoise and clear, the sand is white and soft, and the scenery with the mountain on one side is simply gorgeous.

Compared to Elephant Rocks the water can be choppier, as there are no rocks in front sheltering it, but we actually quite enjoyed that as you can do body surfing in the tiny waves close to the shore. 

It’s a gorgeous beach to spend a few hours relaxing, but especially so after a long hike as you can just wind down and chill.

You can then spend another night in Albany, which is a bit of a bigger town and has more happening.

Day 6: Bremer Bay 

We skipped this stop since my friends I was travelling with get easily seasick, but I’ve heard great things about it so if you’re interested in whale watching, it’s definitely a great addition for you Western Australia itinerary.

Bremer Bay is 180km or 2 hours drive from Albany. Head there in the early morning, so that you can join one of the popular killer whale boat tours.

Orcas are the most common and famous whale you can spot here, but depending on the season you can also see sperm whales and pilot whales.

The tours usually last all day, and will include snacks, drinks and lunch, as well as a marine biologist as guide who will tell you more about the orcas and whales you see during the day.

After your whale watching tour I suggest you jump back in your campervan, and drive the 250km (2.5 hours) on to Hopetoun. It’s a lot of driving in one day, but you’ll be happy about it when the next day comes along, trust me.

Click here to book your Bremer Bay killer whale boat tour!

Where to stay in Hopetoun

Hopetoun is a pretty small town but there are actually quite a few campsite options. If you’re self contained there’s also a free RV rest area.

We stayed at the Wavecrest Village & Tourist Park just outside town and it was a pretty good choice for us. They have a well stocked shop, a restaurant and clean facilities.

Click here to book your stay at Wavecrest Village & Tourist Park in Hopetoun!

Day 7: Hopetoun & Fitzgerald National Park

Hopetoun doesn’t always feature on these Perth to Esperance itineraries.

Most people overlook it as they think there’s not much there, but Hopetoun is the gateway to Fitzgerald National Park, one of the most beautiful and underrated national parks in Australia.

Even the pub owner where we had dinner told us that he doesn’t get many Australian visitors, the majority of people that visit are European or American.

The town itself is fairly small, but from there it’s a short 10-minute drive into the national park.

In Fitzgerald National Park we hiked up East Mount Barren, a short 3km trail which is ranked class 4 due to the rocky terrain and scrambling required to reach the peak.

It’s a tough hike, but well worth the insane views that you will see at the top.

After East Mount Barren we drove around the national park for a bit, checking out some of the beaches like 4-mile beach, but unfortunately the weather wasn’t really on our side today.

Once you’re done exploring Fitzgerald National Park head on to Esperance, the final destination of your road trip!

It’s about 200km from Hopetoun to Esperance, so set off in the afternoon to comfortably get to Esperance for dinner.

Where to stay in Esperance

If you have a campervan, you have two choices when it comes to where to stay in Esperance. You can stay close to town as there are a few holiday parks and campsites, or stay in Cape le Grand National Park.

We tried both and they each have their pros and cons.

In Esperance town we stayed at RAC Esperance Holiday Park, which was probably the nicest holiday park and campsite we stayed at in the whole trip. It has massive kitchens, a cool common area and clean facilities.

They have both campsites and villas, and they’re close to Esperance town centre so you can just walk to the high street if you fancy eating out.

Click here to book your stay at RAC Esperance Holiday Park in Esperance!

In Cape le Grand National Park there are two campsites you can stay at, but they have no cabins, villas or other accommodation options. They are just campsites, so you have to come with a van or tent.

And you’re obviously quite far and remote from the town, you can’t really walk into town for dinner, so you’ll have to bring food and water for all your meals there.

But the upside of being so remote is that you’ll wake up in Cape le Grand National Park, and won’t have to drive 1 hour from Esperance to get there. You’ll be in the heart of the best beaches in Australia!

We stayed at Lucky Bay Campground and loved it. Make sure to book your stay here well in advance, as it tends to sell out very quickly.

Day 8: Esperance

You have finally reached the final destination of your road trip; Esperance!

I had been saving photos and videos of the stunning beaches of Esperance for years, and it was the main place I was desperate to visit on this Western Australia trip.

And I have to say it lived up to the hype. The beaches here are simply insane. There are also a few other tourist sights, but the beaches are the main draw.

Relax at Twilight Beach

This is the best beach close to Esperance town. It goes on for miles, has soft white sand and one of the clearest turquoise waters I’ve ever seen. It also has a bit of waves, and we saw people surfing while there.

See the (not) Pink Lake

The main attraction in Esperance are its beaches, but there are also a few other sides that you can check out, especially if you have a cloudy or rainy morning like we did.

They won’t blow your mind, but it’s something to do if you can’t go to the beach.

The first of these is the Pink Lake. Also known as Lake Spencer, this is a salt lake that was visibly pink up until 2017, but is now pretty white.

It’s a short drive outside Esperance so you can just go there on your way to the beach and check out the information signs at the viewpoint, which will tell you why the lake is no longer pink.

Check out the view at Rotary Lookout

Rotary Lookout is a 360 degree viewpoint just outside of Esperance, from which you can see the town, coastline and even as far as Pink Lake.

Besides the actual lookout, there are also a couple easy walking trails that start here.

They go around the lookout and along the coast. We did one of the short trails to kill some time and it was quite scenic, but it wasn’t really the most epic hike we did while on this trip.

Admire Observatory Point

Observatory Point is another cool lookout and viewpoint close to Esperance. There’s a wooden boardwalk and steps that lead right up to the viewpoint, from which you can admire the coastline.

If you’re lucky, you might even see whales swimming off the coast!

Day 9: Esperance

From Esperance it’s just a 50km drive to Cape le Grand National Park. A beautiful national park home to some of the most insane beaches you will ever see in your life.

I suggest you spend at least a whole day exploring the beaches here, although you could easily stay longer.

Wharton Beach

Unfortunately we couldn’t visit Wharton Beach during our trip as it was closed due to a shark attack, but I’ve heard it’s also insanely beautiful, white soft white sand and stunning crystal clear blue water.

Hellfire Bay

This was my favourite beach in Cape le Grand National Park. In typical Australian style it’s another massive beach, which stretches on for hundreds of metres, and very few people there.

We decided to put our towels on the big rocks just by the access point to the beach, as it was the most sheltered, and it gave us the most insane view over the super clear turquoise water and white sand of Hellfire Bay.

Most people will stay close to the steps and car park, so if you go for a walk along the beach it’s likely you’ll be the only person there. It’s an incredibly beautiful beach with the most pristine colours.

It will make you feel like you’ve stepped into a beach advert or front cover of a beach magazine. We spent a few hours here chilling, enjoying the sun and sea.

Lucky Bay

Not going to lie, for me Lucky Bay was a bit of a disappointment.

It’s the beach I had seen the most on social media, with people relaxing on the beach with their 4x4s and vans, kangaroos coming right up to them and obviously the iconic clear blue water and white sand.

The weather might have played a part in my negative experience, but I found the beach incredibly windy, which made it hard to just sit there and relax, and the only sheltered corner was full of algae on the sand.

We didn’t see any kangaroos on the beach, and it was actually full of cars driving up and down the beach. I can see why people enjoy it, but it just wasn’t really for me.

It’s still a beautiful bay that stretches on for miles, with clear turquoise water and pristine white sand, and you should still visit it while you’re in Cape le Grand National Park, just bear in mind it might not be as idyllic as what you see on social media.

Cape le Grand Beach

This beach is absolutely massive.

It stretches for over 20km, with one end starting inside Cape le Grand National Park and the other basically just outside Esperance. It’s one of those beaches where you can drive, so you’ll see many 4x4s driving along it.

We visited first the end close to Esperance, to check out Wylie Bay, a spot famous for a sand bank and little inlet, and then the other end inside Cape le Grand National Park.

It didn’t seem like the sort of beach where you would just sit to tan, chill and swim, but it’s still a very cool beach to see and experience. Especially if you have a 4×4 and want to try driving on the sand!

It’s also a great sunset spot. It was pretty windy so we enjoyed the sunset from inside our van with drinks and snacks, and even a couple wild kangaroos to keep us company!

Day 10: Return to Perth via Wave Rock

Unfortunately the last day of your Perth to Esperance road trip has come, and it will involve a lot of driving, there’s no way to escape it.

Having done the scenic coastal route on the way to Esperance, you’re now stuck having to do the faster inland route on the way back to Perth. Which means you have to drive the almost 700km from Esperance to Perth in one go.

The only stop you can do along the way is Wave Rock, which adds a 30km detour to your journey, but considering you’ll be driving over 7 hours in one day, I don’t think it matters much.

I’d rather have somewhere cool to stop a bit and stretch my legs, even if it means an extra 20 minutes drive! And trust me when I say, Wave Rock really is a pretty unique spot.

As the name suggests, Wave Rock is a rock formation that is shaped like a wave. You might wonder how much it can possibly look like a wave, and the answer is a lot! Just look at the photo and see for yourself.

The rock has a very pronounced curved shape, is 15 metres tall, and it stretches on for over 100 metres!

Created by 2.7 billion years of rain and wind erosion, the granite rock is also characterised by its coloured stripes, which make it look even more like a wave.

From the main parking area it’s a quick walk to the main wave photo spot, but there are also other hiking trails and cultural sights, like Mulka’s Cave, which is home to over 450 aboriginal rock paintings.

There’s also a restaurant and cafe just by Wave Rock, so it’s the perfect spot to break up the drive, stretch your legs, have lunch and then continue on to Perth to return your van and complete your Perth to Esperance van road trip.

Final thoughts on my Perth to Esperance 10-day itinerary

And that’s a wrap on my Perth to Esperance road trip guide! Have you been to Western Australia before? How did you find it? Let me know in the comments below!

Personally I loved Western Australia. I found it so much more beautiful than the East Coast.

Places like Sydney, the Blue Mountains and Fraser Island might be more famous, but the sights in Western Australia are just insanely beautiful.

And this Perth to Esperance is the most iconic road trip you can do in this part of Australia. You can also travel north to Exmouth, but the southern road trip is more popular, and it’s easy to see why.

The pristine beaches of Esperance are simply magazine worthy, and live up to the gorgeous photos and videos you see of it online.

I hope you found my Perth to Esperance road trip guide useful! If you have any questions, just let me know in the comments below.

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